Mr. Borinsky writes about a Marque-Ampico for sale in the U.K.:

> The piano is a Marque (e-acute) Ampico "A", serial number 23786.
> The most unusual feature is that it is a pedal electric, in the
> sense of a pedal electric Duo-Art.

Firstly, there should not be an acute accent over the e.  The word is
pronounced "mark" _not_ "markeeeee", nor "mar-kay".  It is a French
word (still no acute accent) meaning "brand", from Middle French
"marquer", to mark.

It came into use in American English about 1906 as a snobbish way to
designate the brand or make of a "prestige" product such as a foreign
auto.  You will still hear it among collectors of classic automobiles.
American Piano Co. used it to designate their foot-pedalled Ampico.
Often there is a hyphen between Marque and Ampico.  Perhaps that's what
looks like an e-acute.

Without the make of the piano itself the serial number is not helpful.
It doesn't gibe with Marshall & Wendell numbers, nor, for that matter,
with any other of the American Piano Co. numbers that come to mind.
Are you certain there is not a 6th digit?

Are you certain that it was originally pedal-electric?  I cannot
imagine how an Ampico pump could have been fit into the case along
with the normal Amphion pump and the Ampico expression devices.  Is it
possible that a suction pump was added later?  I would sure like to see
a photograph of the lower action!

While I couldn't say that such a player was never made for export, I
will say that in nearly 50 years of looking at many, many Ampicos,
including a lot of Marque-Ampicos, I have never seen one such as you
describe in the United States.  (Now, having said that, I'm sure that
some MMD subscriber will tell me he has a warehouse full of these.)

I do know that the export model of the U.S. pedal (non electric) model
of the Duo-Art had one additional segment in the accordion pneumatic
(for non-D/A rolls), so I would not be terribly surprised to learn that
there was an "export" model of the Marque-Ampico which differed from
domestic models.

> How rare is a pedal electric Ampico?

Very, if it was indeed originally pedal-electric.

> I thought that all Ampicos were electric only.  Obviously I am wrong.

Marque-Ampicos are not particularly rare in the US but are, so far as I
know, all foot-pedalled only.

> What are the problems with this kind of instrument?

There should be no major differences from any other upright Ampico -
Amphion "upside-down" stack, one of 3 expression mechanisms used in the
Marque-Ampico, etc. -- and should present no particular problems, neither to
the restorer nor to the owner.

> It is being offered for GBP6000 (approx. US $9600), fully restored
> and re-polished except that it is not being re-strung.  It is
> supplied with an original Ampico roll cabinet and about 100 Ampico
> rolls.  It has had one owner since new.  Does this sound like a
> reasonable deal?

In most areas of the U.S., a foot-pedalled Ampico doesn't command a
much greater price than a good quality foot-pedalled 88-note player, or
a pedal-only Duo-Art.

By "fully-restored" I would expect it to be re-strung, soundboard and
bridges perfect, new hammers, dampers, all new action felts, keys re-
bushed, keyboard perfect original or recovered, piano action properly
regulated, Ampico restored and regulated to factory specifications and
the case refinished.  In other words, it should look and play as though
it just came out of the crate.  In that condition, US $9600 would be a
very reasonable price.

The value of the roll cabinet and the rolls would be hard to determine
at a distance.  Much depends on the "fanciness" and condition of the
cabinet and its finish, and on the usual value of original Ampico rolls
in the U. K.  There are rare rolls in prime condition that bring a high
price in the U.S.  Tattered, worn rolls of pedestrian music are not
worth much.

If this instrument was indeed originally pedal-electric, I'm sure that
many of us MMD subscribers would like to learn more about it.  I know
_I_ would!

Dean Randall
mailto:pianolists@earthlink.net

 [ Pedestrian music?  For foot-pumpers, I suppose?  ;)  -- Robbie